Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-02-04

History OF the Came-The Champion
ship Record.

The first stages of the game were of a
very unscientfic character. In 1910
there was football contest between
the whole sophomore and freshmen
classes which partook more of the ma
ture of rush than of the scientific
game played in later days. This game
was held on the city green before an
admiring audience on the state house
steps. and was continued as an annual
event until the city in 1853 prohibited
the use of the green for this purpose.
The game then died out, and was not
heard of again until the fall of 1871,
when it was revived by the classes of
~ and '73, who were unusually active
in all kinds of sport. During this year
numerous class contests were held, and
the next fall the Yale Football associa-
ton was formed. Rules were adopted
and challenges issued. la all of these
contests Yale came out successful, and
the next year at her suggestion the first
intercollegiate association was organ
lied. 1t adopted substantially the rules
of the Yale association of the year be-
fore. Some of these differed widely
from the rules of to-day. Players were
not allowed to pick up or carry the
ball. and no one was permitted to use
his hands to push or hold an adversary.
while rules for off and on side play were
N ~ Of 20 fcta
of twenty men each. Besides beating
all the colleges in the association. Yale
defeated team of Etonians by two
goals 10 one, although compelled to
play with eleven men and under Rug
by rules
In 1874 Yale was again champion,
losing but two goals during the season.
In one game with the Columbia stud
ents goal wa, made in 40 seconds. In
1870 Yale for the first and only time was
defeated by Harvard by score of four
goals and two touch-dOwns 10 nothing.
The following year Yale defeated Har-
ward. Columbia, and Princeton. In
1877 the wearcrs of the blue scored
twenty-one goals and eighty-four touch
downs 10 nothing for its opponents.
The next year saw the rules greatly inn
proved and the number or men limited
to fifteen. Yale beat Harvard, but
Princeton defeated both teams and wop
the championshi for the first time.
Princeton also claimed it the next
year on the ground that she had not
been defeated by Harvard or Yale. In
1850 the rule, were again revised. the
Rugby system introduced. and the team
limited TO eleven men. At this time
safties were counted but not scored
against a team. For this reason on ac-
count of the famous blocking tactics
at Princeton, the championship was
greatly in doubt. but was finally
awarded 20 Yale as she had made but
five safeties and Princeton eleven. In
1881 this difficulty was remedied and
for the next two years Yale kept the
championship, in the latter year scor-
ing tifty-two goals and fifteen touch
downs. The contest between Yale and
Princeton was remarkably close, the
final game on the polo grounds in New
York being won By Yale BY a score Of
six to nothing. The touchdown from
which the goal was kicked was made
by Peters. captain of last years team.
In that year was developed probably
the most phenomenal kicker that ever
played football Moi1at of Princeton. $
Of course referred to. In the game with
Harvard he kicked four goals from
the field, but in the Yale game was
prevented from scoring by the superior
PLAYING of the Yale rush-line. In 1884
occurred the famous contest with
Princeton, which was techn cally called
draw game. Last year Princeton
defeated Yale on the latter's ground
bv the score of to ). The touchdown
that gave the Jerseymen the game was
made by Lamar after the longest and
most beautiful run ever seen on foot
ball field. This year Yale met Prince
ton on the latter's grounds, ana In
Princeton mud with Princeton ref
cree scored four points TO their oppo-
nents nothing. As the referee called
the game before the time limit had ex-
PRED the contest was decided draw,
although the intercollegiate football
convention subsequently decided that
according to points made Yale should
have the championship.
One thing has been settle ed this year
and that is that the deciding game for
the championship must be played on
neutral grounds and with neutral ref
cree. Yale men have good reason to
feel proud of the work done by their
team this season. The eleven has par
ticipsted in ten games and has scored
$50 points to made by opponents; 104